Even better is if you know someone with a membership to a warehouse club that is willing to take you shopping (bring your cash though, as they often insist that if the purchase is made with a credit card, that it match the member name). They sell huge bags of pasta for really cheap - I think I bought a ten-pounder at Sam's club for $3 or $4.

Dollar stores are not necessarily good places to buy pasta, if your grocery store brand is less than a dollar a pound.

I second the meatballs. You can do ground turkey or chicken for a "healthier" version and add spices/herbs, breadcrumbs and parm to it for alot of flavor. And meatballs can be cooked separately and added to the tomato sauce (leaving the sauce vegan style for others) or pesto if you go that route. The chicken/turkey will do well with pesto as well.

I would get 2 pounds of meat which can make about 40 small meatballs. (about 20 per pound) Cook them on cookie sheets in the oven and then put them in a crock pot to keep warm with a tiny bit of chicken stock for steaming.

For 30 people, I would do 10 loaves. You can add garlic to the dough and make it garlicky. You would need 3 bags of flour and 10 packets of yeast if you used the above recipe. I make it all the time and love it.

One lacto-vegetarian dish I've found that satisfies carnivores is a baked ziti with a good marinara and plenty of mozzarella on top.

I would add my voice to the suggestion that green bell peppers be excluded from everything but the salad. Those things are always top dog in any cooked dish and remain so for hours after eating.

Dump the Alfredo and go with the pesto. Pesto keeps better. It's friendly to more diets and basil by the bunch should be within your budget. Don't depend on that poor little plant of yours to provide everything.

Pesto and maninara available with linguini and bow-ties should take care of things nicely.

One sauce: Marinara (a vegan sauce or make your own)Two types of pasta: one short noodle (such as penne), one long noodlePut everything else on the side, including the meats and cheeses

I would only add a second sauce (pesto, since basil is available). Easy to make, cheap if you substitute the pine nuts and it freezes well in case of leftovers.

Have you thought of drinks yet?

I like this set up with sauce options. I might do sauteed ground Italian sausage for something more exciting. As a vegetarian, I don't feel comfortable doing more than browning preground meat, so I think the meatballs will be out. Drinks I'm keeping simple, since our group doesn't seem to drink soft drinks so I'll just be providing water, iced tea, and lemonade. I can't buy alcohol with the money provided, so I put on the invitation that if they have a favorite beer or wine, feel free to bring some to share.

Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender. Process or blend until the ingredients are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. Add the oil and process until smooth and creamy. If not using immediately, store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or place in ice cube trays, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer no longer than 1 month for the best flavor.

Tip: Because pesto freezes well, you might want to make more, if you have lots of basil on hand. For every extra cup of loosely packed basil leaves, add the following to the recipe: 2 T pine nuts, 1 clove garlic (or to taste), 1/4 teas. coarse salt (or to taste), and 2 T olive oil.

Additional caveats for the vegetarians: many commercial sauces are flavored with meat (check the label) and lots of cheeses contain animal rennet, which isn't vegetarian (for instance, real parmesan cheese is always non-vegetarian). The tricky thing with cheese is that it isn't always labeled as vegetarian or non-vegetarian. (Often, you just see "enzymes," which doesn't tell you much.)

http://cheese.joyousliving.com is a great resource for finding vegetarian cheeses. It includes lists by brand and lists by type. For instance, Kraft is pretty much all non-vegetarian, but Tillamook usually is (with the exception of their aged white cheddars).

Dried semolina pasta is usually vegetarian-friendly.

And Audrey, that pesto looks great!

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